Leprosy in medieval Denmark: Exploring life histories through a multi-tissue and multi-isotopic approach.
Anastasia BrozouBenjamin T FullerVaughan GrimesNiels LynnerupJesper L BoldsenMarie Louise JørkovDorthe Dangvard PedersenJesper OlsenMarcello A ManninoPublished in: American journal of physical anthropology (2021)
A local origin for the leprosy patients is in line with historical evidence, unlike the small dietary contribution of marine protein. Although only 10% of the analyzed individuals have rib/long bone offsets that undoubtedly show a dietary shift, the data appear to reveal a pattern for 25 individuals (out of 50), with elevated δ13 C and/or δ15 N values in the ribs compared to the long bones, which points toward a communal type of diet and reveals organizational aspects of the institution.